By Tata Mbunwe
The Israeli Government on Sunday, May 5, shutdown the operations of Al Jazeera media and removed the television station from its air waves in a move that has attracted international condemnations.
The Qatari-owned Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the ban as a “criminal act”, stating that it contradicts international law.
“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access of information,” the media network said on Sunday.
“Al Jazeera affirms its right to continue to provide news and information to its global audiences.”
Al Jazeera has been at the fore front of in-depth reporting on the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which has had a heavy toll on civilians.
“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law. Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera from its commitment to cover, whilst more than 140 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the beginning of the war on Gaza,” Al Jazeera Media Network said.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a post on X, said the media organ was being banned for broadcasting content that threatened its national security.
This was after the country’s cabinet unanimously voted for the channel to be banned.
“The government headed by me unanimously decided: the incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” Netanyahu said.
Al Jazeera dismissed the claims of incitement as completely false.
Israeli officers on Sunday raided Al Jazeera’s office in East Jerusalem where they took away camera equipment, cases and cardboard boxes.
Al Jazeera says they also suspended its website in the country and withdrew accreditation from its journalists.
